Redefining Business Leadership in a COVID-19 World

This year — five years after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the start of the Decade of Action and Delivery of the SDGs — has presented a new set of unforeseen challenges. The social and economic cost of the pandemic have been exacerbated in many countries by environmental stressors and social unrest.
 
As companies struggle to maintain their footing in a COVID-19 world, some commentators have suggested the outlook for the global economy may have a chilling effecting on the adoption of sustainable business practices.
 
But, to the contrary, a new form of leader has emerged in this crisis – a generation of executives and rising professionals who understand that there are no successful businesses in a failed world. In this context, the private sector – in partnership with governments and civil society leaders – is  leveraging the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals to respond to immediate threats in their communities, prepare for long term sustainability, and remedy the three critical fragilities which have been exposed by events of 2020: climate change and nature loss; social inequality; and economic exclusion.
 
The 2020 SDG Business Forum, held virtually on the margins of the 75th UN General Assembly, the 2020 Biodiversity Summit and the Beijing +25 Conference, is a platform for all stakeholders to come together for meaningful dialogue on the role of the private sector in addressing the current economic landscape and to co-create lasting solutions for a more sustainable future.
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View the 2019 Program

Watch the 2019 Forum

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About the Business Forum

As the largest and most globally representative UN convening of business leaders, the SDG Business Forum – co-hosted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the UN Global Compact and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – highlights companies that are using their influence as a positive agent of change in their local communities and across the world.
 
Coinciding with the start of the UN’s Decade of Action and Delivery on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the fifth anniversary of the SDG Business Forum will highlight companies that are using their influence as a positive agent of change in their local communities and across the world. 

Past SDG Business Forums have fostered public-private dialogues, catalysed new partnerships and alliances, and explored innovative business solutions to accelerate sustainable development. 

The 2020 SDG Business Forum aims to generate a Compendium of SDG Acceleration Actions for the decade of action and delivery from its participants as one of the outcome documents. 

​2019 Outline Agenda

7:30 - 9:30	SDG Solutions Immersive Breakfast* The SDG Solutions breakfast will be an opportunity for companies to showcase their upcoming technologies. This two-hour buffet style breakfast hosted by ICC and UNGC will allow companies to erect exhibits or tables dedicated to their latest innovations. It will be an invitation only event and an opportunity reserved for companies that have displayed true leadership in the SDG arena.
10:00 – 10:30	Introduction Ms. Lise Kingo, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the UN Global Compact, and Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations will open this year's SDG Business Forum. H. E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations will deliver keynote remarks.
10:30 – 11:15	Sustainable Financing for 2030 Some of the world's largest corporations are increasingly vocal about the SDGs. What implications does this positioning have on corporate strategies and business models? What steps can companies take to tangibly integrate the SDGs into their financing, operational processes and internal decision-making? What incentives are needed for investors and companies to expand their investments in emerging and frontier markets? How can governments and investors support a shift towards SDG-aligned business models? Can MNCs help micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to fund their plans for SDG adoption?
11:15 – 12:00	The Future of Business This panel will explore the changing landscape of business as it contends with global changes and the challenges associated with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As we approach the deadline for the 2030 Agenda, how are businesses incorporating the SDGs into their organizations? With rapidly occurring advances in technology, what kind of transformation of the workforce can we expect in the coming years, and what are the implications of this? How can ambitious climate action lay the groundwork for a more sustainable and equitable world?
12:00 – 12:45	Scaling Ambition While the SDGs have provided a framework for governments to improve the livelihoods of their citizens, and the Global Compact has tracked business engagement with its ten principles, we must acknowledge that there is still so much work to be done. Business and Industry stakeholders must do their part to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This section will highlight those companies that have gone “above and beyond” the call of duty. Whether they have eliminated modern slavery in their supply chains, invested in the adoption of sustainable technologies, or promoted gender equality in the workplace, the speakers during this panel will be leaders in their field who are working to go the extra mile.
12:45 - 13:00	Closing Remarks John W. H. Denton, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce and Paul Polman, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chair of the UN Global Compact will deliver closing remarks.

* Ticketed.

2019 Featured Speakers

	Mr. Liu Zhenmin Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations		Mr. John W.H. Denton AO Secretary-General, International Chamber of Commerce
	Ms. Lise Kingo Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, UN Global Compact		H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
	H.E. Mr. Hubert Minnis Prime Minister of the Bahamas		Sir Suma Chakrabarti President, European Bank of Reconstruction and Development
	Ms. Madelyn Antoncic Chief Executive Officer, SASB Foundation		Mr. Francesco Starace Chief Executive Officer, Enel
	Ms. Farzana Chowdhury Chief Executive Officer, Green Delta Insurance		Ms. Claudia Azevedo Chief Executive Officer, Sonae
	Mr. Emmanuel Faber Chief Executive Officer, Danone		Ms. Gamze Cizreli Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Big Chefs Café and Brasserie
	Ms. Flora Mutahi Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Melvin Marsh		H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Solih President of the Maldives
	Mr. Kent Walker Chief Legal Officer, Google		Mr. Cyrill Gutsch Founder, Parley for the Oceans
	Ms. Pamela Molina Chief Executive Officer, Agrolibano		Ms. Rose Stuckey Kirk Chief Social Responsibility Officer, Verizon Communications

Highlights from Business Forum

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​News​ 
SDG Business Forum urged to do business responsibly and accelerate sustainable development

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